Harold C. "Curley" Hegstrom (1929-2013) Obituary

Harold C. "Curley" Hegstrom (1929-2013) Obituary

Harold “Curley” Hegstrom passed away, peacefully, Friday, September 20, 2013, surrounded by his family, that he loved so much. He was born May 27, 1929 in a tiny, two room log home in Central, Idaho, to Carl John and Annie Elizabeth Qualman Hegstrom.

He moved to Ogden when he was 18 years old and found employment at the Ogden Auto Club with the position of washing and polishing cars. He learned the trade of being a mechanic, and he eventually bought and successfully ran the business until 1978 when the Ogden City Mall forced him out of business. After the Auto Club closed, he eventually went to work for Matt Browning. He enjoyed taking care of the old cars and going to the many different car shows.

In Ogden, Curley met and married his beautiful and loving bride, Gloria Dean Wallace on April 4, 1952. They had three children, Kathy, Scott, and Linda. Despite the challenges they faced together with Gloria’s terminal illness, they enjoyed a full life together with their family. He had a motto that he shared with his family when life’s experiences were difficult. He said, “You just have to take the bull by the horns and never let go.” Family was always his first priority, and he made sure that each of his children understood the importance of families. He lived to exemplify all that he taught to his family and to his friends. His example will long be remembered.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was important to him to know that his children stayed close to the church. His parents died when he was a child, and he spent his early years growing up on a ranch that belonged to his sister and brother-in-law. Because of this difficult time, he learned the meaning of hard work and sacrifice. As a young boy, that quality and many others stayed with him throughout his life, building a foundation that would later serve to prepare him for the many challenges later on in his life.

Curley had high integrity and was an honest man throughout his life. He had an innate ability to reach out to others and lighten their loads. One of his favorite hobbies was playing his guitar for family and friends. They would gather together, enthusiastically enjoying the many hours of entertainment that he would provide for them. He truly enjoyed making his family and friends happy. He made many friends over the years who he dearly loved.

Other hobbies included camping, hunting and fishing with his family. He also enjoyed the trips he took to Nashville with his nephew, Vernon and his wife, Barbara Beckett, as well as John and Karen Langley.